DUSHANBE, November 27, Asia-Plus — At present 15 World Bank-funded investment lending operations for a total amount of $189.3 million are being implemented in Tajikistan, Mr. Edward Brown, acting World Bank Country Representative in Tajikistan, remarked yesterday at a meeting with representatives from the country’s civil society.
The meeting was held to present activity of the World Bank in Tajikistan.
According to Mr. Brown, $74.3 million have to date been disbursed and the undisbursed balance is 64.1 percent.
In agrarian sector, as of October 10, 2007, $20 million have been provided for implementation of the project aimed at rehabilitating rural infrastructure, $15.3 million for development of the community agriculture and watershed management, $10 million for the Ferghana Valley Resources Management Project, $15 million for the Land registration and Cadastre System Project, $15 million for the Cotton Sector Recovery Project, and $5 million for the Avian Influenza and Human Pandemic Preparedness Project.
In infrastructure sector, the World Bank has provided $22 million for implementation of the Dushanbe Water Supply Project, $15 million for the Tajikistan Municipal Infrastructure Project, $10 million for the Pamir Power Private Project, and $18 million for the Energy Loss Reduction Project.
In economic sector, as of October 10, 20077, the Bank has provided $10 million for Programmatic Development Policy Grant, $5 million for the Public Sector Reform Project and a grant of $1 million for the project to strengthen the Tajikistan National Statistical System.
In human development sector, $20 million have been provided for the Education Modernization Project and $10 million for the Community and Basic Health Project.
Mr. Brown noted that since 1993, when Tajikistan became a member of the World Bank, the Bank has committed $450 million for over 30 operations.
During the presentation, they also touched upon the issue of small grants provided by the World Bank to support development of civil society in Tajikistan. The World Bank small grants program has been working in Tajikistan since 2002, and over the past period, the bank has provided more than $187,000 for implementation of 47 projects.
Mr. Brown also noted that the following projects are under preparation for the Fiscal Year of 2008: Cotton Commodity Project – $7.2 million, Pamir Energy – $2.5 million: and Public Financial Management Project – $5 million.
